The present invention relates to a mold for continuous casting of metal, the mold being releasably fastened upon an oscillating table or the like; more particularly, the invention relates to a mold for continuous casting and including a tubular mold proper, a water tank, upper and lower flanges and a water conducting jacket.
Molds for continuous casting of metals and being of the type to which the invention pertains use, for example, a copper or copper alloy tube as the mold cavity proper. These molds are provided for the casting of billets or slab ingots and have a fixed cross section. Other molds are known which are made of separated plates for purposes of adjusting the dimensions of a rectangular cross section for such ingots. In the case of a change in the dimensions of the castings to be made, one has to exchange the mold completely if it is not constructed in an adjustable manner. This change in equipment constitutes, of course, down time for the casting machine as a whole and reduces therefore the output.
Austrian Pat. No. 238388 suggests a mold for continuous casting wherein the tubular mold proper is fastened to the cooling jacket by means of a flange. The patent suggests particularly that the mold tube is to be easily removable from this water tank. Certain narrow gap portions established by the assembly constitute preferred zones and areas of deposits precipitating from the cooling water. Such deposits as scale narrow the flow area for the water, and therefore have to be removed because they interfer with the desired and rated cooling process. Certain steps are provided as far as the diameters of the lower flange in this assembly is concerned, particularly with regard and in relation to the upper flange so as to permit a rather rapid removal of the mold pipe together with the jacket conducting the cooling water. It has to be realized that the particular solution proposed in this patent is directly related to the problem, namely, easy removing of those parts which require occasional cleaning and maintenance and involving especially that the sides of the assembly directly exposed to the coolant and which has to be removable with ease.